Why learn a martial art?

[Peter V. Dell'Orto]

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

So by stepping into a dojo somewhere and getting a white belt, you permanently lose your personal fighting patterns, which worked perfectly well up until then?

While that is an issue, I'm not seeing a suggestion that doesn't basically work as, I know this style but I have no discernible pattern and so there is no downside for all of these upsides, but it is a downside for people I fight.

And if the people you fight can ignore their style and attack style-free, then the idea of negating DAs and reducing Feints is basically a non-rule that applies to no one.

Originally Posted by Ulzgoroth

...Huh, I think the familiarity rule might have a slight issue. There's no filter on the styles that are considered, which means that having familiarity with Kusarijutsu or Foot Archery can thwart the other guy's familiarity in an unarmed fight. Perhaps only familiarities that include the skill you're using should count... Or even only styles that include the specific technique you're using.

That is how I'd run it. You need to be able to apply it to the situation to have it make sense and have it count. GM judgement should apply - if you're in a Karate tournament and you also know Kyudo and BJJ and don't use them, it shouldn't be hard to read you. If you do use them, and it's a point-based system that scores proper technique, your bleed through from BJJ might hurt you, not help you. I know I didn't score once in Kendo because of my totally incorrect step, which looked more MMA than Kendo and we weren't fighting, we were trying to apply perfect technique before the other guy did.